


Pull Me Close, Hold Me Tight

by bad_ash10



Category: ER (TV 1994)
Genre: Cuddles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, good friends who should've been more than friends, really though their friendship is the cutest thing ever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:16:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29505384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bad_ash10/pseuds/bad_ash10
Summary: John Carter was there for his best friend, Jing-Mei Chen, when she gave birth to a baby boy. Carter was there when Jing-Mei considered keeping the baby, told her he would defend her with the couple who were there to adopt the baby if she wanted to or he would support her if she gave the baby up.So naturally it makes sense that Carter would come back to check on Jing-Mei after his shift in the ER ended later that night. He wouldn't want Jing-Mei to be alone in hospital room on Christmas after all.*Set in episode 7x09 - The Greatest of GIfts."
Relationships: John Carter & Jing-Mei Chen, John Carter/Jing-Mei Chen
Kudos: 7





	Pull Me Close, Hold Me Tight

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, dear readers! Does anyone still read ER fanfic? Does anyone still write ER fanfic? I don't even know, but I've been doing an ER rewatch and am in my feels, so if anyone out there is looking for ER fic, please enjoy this one shot!

Jing-Mei stared out the window. It was snowing again. It would be a beautiful Christmas if she was home to enjoy it instead of alone in this hospital room.

Her mother kept calling, leaving message after message at the nurses’ station after she had them put the phone in her room on a ‘Do Not Disturb’ order. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to her mother- not tonight.

There was a knock at the door which she ignored. The nurses would come in whether she responded or not.

“Deb? You awake?” It was John.

She looked over her shoulder, and saw how exhausted he looked after his shift in the ER. Dark circles under his eyes and sagging shoulders, but yet here he was to check on her.

“Hey, you are awake,” he said making his way in the room and pulling up a chair beside her.

She smiled tiredly at him. “You can go home, John. You haven’t really slept in the last 48 hours.”

“Oh, don’t worry about me, Deb. I’ll sleep eventually.” He reached out and took her hand, his thumb caressing her knuckles. “How are you?”

She wiped at her eyes with her free hand, trying to keep herself from crying as she laughed humorlessly. “Not my best Christmas.”

Carter kissed her hand gently. “Do you want some company for a while? I’ll be glad to stay with you.”

Jing-Mei wanted nothing more than for him to stay, to crawl into the bed with her and hold her close. She knew she had made the right choice, giving up her baby for adoption, but it left her feeling empty and alone. He was there, he understood how hard it had been.

She swallowed hard, still willing herself not to cry again. “I couldn’t ask you to do that,” she whispered, not quite meeting his eyes.

He gave her a small smile. “Ok, then.” John stood, and she thought he was leaving, but instead he lowered the rail on her hospital bed. “I think this bed can hold the both of us, don’t you? They’re much wider than the gurneys we have downstairs.”

Jing-Mei blinked up at him in confusion. “What?”

“You didn’t ask, so neither am I. Slide over if you can, Deb.”

“John, really. I’ll be fine. Go home, get some rest.” She protested weakly.

He gave her a soft smile. “Deb.”

She sighed, moving to make room for him in the hospital bed with her, but wincing slightly as she did so. Everything was still sore after the delivery.

“Sorry,” he apologized as he climbed in next to her. 

The size of the bed meant they were practically on top of one another already, but he put his arm around her and pulled her closer, letting her lay her head on his chest.

“You don’t have to stay, John,” she whispered.

Carter chuckled and put his other arm around her. “I know, Deb. I just didn’t want you to be alone on Christmas.”

She nodded against him, and the tears began to flow. She didn’t have to explain what she was feeling, he knew what she had been through, what she was going through, and he just held her through it, letting her know he was there. John kissed the top of her head gently, murmuring soft reassurances as he rubbed her back soothingly. 

They stayed like that for a long while, even after her tears faded. 

“John?” she eventually asked, peering up at him.

His eyes were closed, but he still managed to respond with a sleepy “Mmm?”

“Thank you for being there earlier. And being here now,” she whispered before kissing him gently on the cheek.

He opened his eyes, trying to focus on her in the dim lighting. “I’ll always be there when you need me, Deb,” he said softly, kissing her on the top of the head again as she laid her head back on his chest. 

Jing-Mei adjusted the blanket to cover John, noting he fell asleep quickly after their conversation. She fell asleep soon after, exhausted from the day, and the nurse found them both still cuddled together the next morning.

**Author's Note:**

> Since I don't usually write for anything outside of the Agents of Shield fandom, here are a few random things that contributed to this step to a new fandom.  
> 1- ER was my fave growing up! Chen was my favorite back in the day and doing a rewatch, she's still my favorite! (Very possibly because of my love for Ming-Na Wen, but that's neither here nor there.)  
> 2- Even back in the day (like when ER originally aired) I loved the dynamic between Carter and Chen and my love for them has only grown during my rewatch.  
> 3- Am I salty that Carter/Chen never got together as a couple? You bet I am! Nothing like a global pandemic to reinforce some feelings I had in the early 2000s, am I right? 
> 
> Anyway, if anyone is out there even reading this, thank you!!


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